Late AIC Surge Hands Navy Women’s Rugby 32-17 Road Loss

Navy women’s rugby battled American International College to a second-half tie Saturday, but a late Yellow Jackets scoring surge proved too much as the Midshipmen fell, 32-17, at Ronald J. Abdow Field in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Navy trailed only 10-5 at halftime and pulled even early in the second half on a try by Ellie Pierson. AIC responded by scoring 22 unanswered points to seize control before Caroline Shegogue added Navy’s final try in the closing minutes. The loss dropped the Midshipmen to 0-2 overall and 0-2 in National Intercollegiate Rugby Association play, while AIC opened its season 1-0.

The final margin does not fully reflect how competitive the match was for much of the afternoon. Navy was tied with the reigning back-to-back NIRA Division II national champion during the second half before mistakes and AIC’s explosive attack changed the game.

Spencer provides Navy’s early answer

AIC struck first in the 10th minute when Camryn Henderson finished the Yellow Jackets’ opening try and converted it herself for a 7-0 advantage.

Navy answered almost immediately.

Arica Spencer broke free and crossed the try line at the 12:35 mark, pulling the Midshipmen within 7-5. The conversion was unsuccessful, but Spencer’s score prevented AIC from establishing early control.

Spencer has become an increasingly important scoring option for Navy. She also found the try zone in the Midshipmen’s season-opening loss at Brown after scoring twice during the 2025 fall 15s campaign.

Henderson extended AIC’s advantage with a penalty kick in the 16th minute, making it 10-5.

From there, Navy’s defense settled into the match.

Neither team scored again during the opening half. The Midshipmen kept the Yellow Jackets from converting additional opportunities and went into halftime facing only a five-point deficit.

Considering AIC’s offensive credentials, that was significant. The Yellow Jackets entered the season after finishing 7-1 in 15s competition in 2025 and winning their second consecutive NIRA Division II championship. AIC had overwhelmed Frostburg State, 107-0, and West Chester, 74-0, during last season’s Division II playoffs before moving into Division I competition this year.

Pierson ties it after halftime

Navy came out of halftime and quickly erased the deficit.

The Midshipmen drove deep into AIC territory before using their maul to push toward the try line. Pierson finished the possession with a try early in the second half, tying the game at 10-10.

Suddenly, Navy had turned a 10-5 halftime deficit into an even game on the road against one of the most successful programs in NIRA Division II over the previous two seasons.

Head coach Murph McCarthy was encouraged by Navy’s effort and noted afterward that the Midshipmen had put themselves in position to win before mistakes changed the contest. He credited AIC as the stronger team on the day while pointing to Navy’s ability to remain tied well into the second half.

Navy then received another potential advantage when AIC’s Amalani Bonds was issued a yellow card for a high tackle.

Instead of capitalizing while AIC played short-handed, however, Navy watched the Yellow Jackets produce the decisive response.

AIC takes control

Naomi Dodd broke through Navy’s defense following a scrum near midfield and scored AIC’s go-ahead try. Henderson converted, putting the Yellow Jackets back in front, 17-10.

That score opened the floodgates.

Henderson scored her second try of the match several minutes later as AIC capitalized near Navy’s try line. Her conversion extended the advantage and continued a huge individual performance.

AIC struck again when Mahina Hafoka broke loose for a long run through the middle of the field. Hafoka covered nearly 60 yards before delivering an offload to Kiyanah Edwards, who finished the play with another Yellow Jackets try.

Dodd then provided perhaps the most damaging play of the afternoon.

Following the ensuing kickoff, she attacked down the left side and returned the ball for another try. What had been a 10-10 match earlier in the second half had suddenly become a 32-10 AIC advantage.

The Yellow Jackets scored 22 consecutive points during the decisive stretch.

That explosion ultimately separated the teams.

Shegogue closes the scoring

Navy continued competing despite the deficit and was rewarded late.

Shegogue crossed the try line in the 78th minute, and Navy added the conversion to make the final score 32-17.

Henderson was the difference for AIC.

She finished with 17 points, matching Navy’s entire team total. Henderson scored two tries, converted two tries and added a penalty kick while playing a central role in AIC’s first Division I NIRA victory.

Spencer, Pierson and Shegogue accounted for Navy’s three tries.

For approximately the first 50 minutes, those contributions had Navy positioned for a much different result. The Midshipmen were down only five points at halftime and then tied the game before AIC’s decisive scoring run.

Another competitive performance ends with a late surge

The loss also followed a frustratingly similar pattern to Navy’s season opener against Brown.

Navy opened the 2026 campaign with a 33-17 loss in Providence. The Midshipmen trailed Brown 19-5 early in the second half before rallying within two points, only for the Bears to respond with two late tries to secure the victory.

Against AIC, Navy again demonstrated its ability to battle back.

This time, the Midshipmen completely erased their deficit and made it 10-10. But just as Brown had done one week earlier, AIC produced its strongest stretch late in the match.

That leaves Navy 0-2 despite being within one possession during the second half of both games.

The Midshipmen have also scored exactly 17 points in each contest.

AIC presented a major challenge

AIC’s move into NIRA Division I added important context to Saturday’s matchup.

The Yellow Jackets were not a typical program making a step up in competition. They entered the season as consecutive NIRA Division II national champions and had finished the 2025 campaign 7-1.

Edwards and Henderson were two major reasons for that success.

Edwards led AIC with 95 points on 19 tries last season, while Henderson accumulated 93 points. Henderson converted 34 kicks and scored five tries before producing another 17 points against Navy Saturday.

Saturday was officially AIC’s first match of the 2026 season after its scheduled Sept. 6 opener against Queens University of Charlotte was postponed. It was also the Yellow Jackets’ first Division I NIRA contest.

Navy therefore became AIC’s first test at its new level.

For more than half the match, the Midshipmen matched the Yellow Jackets.

History between Navy and AIC

Saturday continued a series between programs that stretches back more than a decade, although many of the previous meetings came before Navy elevated women’s rugby to varsity status.

AIC now owns a 5-1 record across six recorded meetings with Navy dating to 2015. The Yellow Jackets won a 12-5 defensive battle in September 2022, Navy’s inaugural varsity season.

Navy earned a measure of revenge in April 2024 when the programs met in 7s competition at the CRAA Championship.

The teams had not met in 15s since that 2022 matchup before Saturday.

This year’s meeting was considerably more offensive. The teams combined for 49 points, and AIC’s 32 represented its highest total against Navy in the series since a 37-0 victory in April 2015.

Navy gets another major test against Lindenwood

The Midshipmen will not have much time to dwell on the loss.

Navy returns to Annapolis Friday for another difficult NIRA matchup against Lindenwood at the Prusmack Rugby Center. Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m.

Lindenwood represents another significant test for a Navy team still searching for its first victory.

The Midshipmen faced the Lions last season and suffered a 64-17 road loss. Navy trailed 36-5 at halftime in that matchup before Mia Young and Aleksandria Gabbard added second-half tries.

Navy will need to correct the late-game issues that have hurt it through the first two weeks.

The Midshipmen have demonstrated an ability to respond after falling behind. They rallied against Brown and again against AIC. The next step is sustaining that performance for the full 80 minutes.

MSB Take

Navy’s 0-2 record does not tell the entire story of its first two matches, but the Midshipmen have developed a pattern they need to break quickly.

They have been competitive.

Against Brown, Navy fought back from a 14-point deficit and pulled within two. Against AIC, the Midshipmen went one step further and erased the deficit completely when Pierson’s try made it 10-10.

The problem has been what happens next.

Brown answered Navy’s rally with two late tries. AIC responded Saturday with 22 consecutive points after Navy tied the match. In both cases, a competitive game became a multi-score defeat during the latter stages.

That makes Friday’s home matchup with Lindenwood another important measuring stick. Navy has already shown it can fight back against quality competition. Now the Midshipmen need to show they can maintain that level through the final whistle and turn a competitive performance into their first victory of the season.